Valythra Bloodmoon
|Row 2 title = Gender|Row 2 info = Female|Row 3 title = Aliases|Row 3 info = Oculus Cloak Edith Lianas|Row 4 title = Birthdate|Row 4 info = 20 April -225 L.C. (264 at Death)|Row 5 title = Affiliations|Row 5 info = * * (Formerly) New Horde * Onyx Rose Order|Row 6 title = Family|Row 6 info = Alytheria Bloodmoon (Grandmother, Undead) Zyanel Bloodmoon (Mother, Undead) Raitaus Solflame (Father, Deceased) Halorast Solflame (Uncle, Undead) Gavarian Nightblade (Fiancé, Undead)|Row 7 title = Date of Death|Row 7 info = 14 December 38 L.C. (Alive) 2 March 39 L.C. (Undead)|Row 8 title = Cause of Death|Row 8 info = Bitten and drained by a San'layn (Alive) Impaled by a runeblade (Undead)|Row 9 title = Status|Row 9 info = }} Valythra Alytheria Bloodmoon '''(née '''Solflame, '''also known as '''Oculus) is a San'layn blood noble and a former spy for the Horde. Originally raised to be a soldier, Valythra spent much of her life suffering from a chronic heart illness that forced a more sedentary life as a baker. Loathing her circumstances, Valythra embraced vampirism to escape her own powerlessness. She now functions as a representative for San'layn interests. Biography Early Life Weakened Heart Valythra Solflame was born as the only child of Raitaus Solflame and Zyanel Bloodmoon. Even from the moment of her birth, Valythra was underweight and prone to sickness. She was named in honor of her grandmother, Alytheria Bloodmoon. As a daughter of House Solflame, Valythra was expected to train herself to become resilient, living a life without indulgence or entitlement and undergoing rigorous training. Raitaus believed that raising Valythra to live such a life would prevent her from becoming complacent through luxury like many Quel'dorei nobility were. However, Valythra fell ill and frequently began coughing. At the age of ten, a day came when Valythra attempted to train with her father only to double over, coughing up pink, frothy sputum. She was taken to priests who found that her heart had been failing and she may have been on the verge of death. Even after she was stabilized, her heartbeat was irregular and her lungs seemed to be experiencing a buildup of fluid. Realizing that attempting to raise Valythra as a soldier like him would only kill her, Raitaus and his brother Halorast Solflame spoke at length about what to do to care for her. Halorast advised that Raitaus abandon his attempts to train her and focus on caring for his daughter, while offering to take the girl under his tutelage to learn magic until she could be enrolled at the Falthrien Academy on Sunstrider Isle. As Valythra's training to become a soldier stopped, Raitaus grew distant as his expectations of her fell short, reluctant to accept his daughter being trained in magic. A disconnect between father and daughter began to grow. Magical Education At the academy, Valythra was at least adequately successful in her academic endeavors, but was by no means a prodigy. As the years went by and Valythra entered adolescence, she developed a flair for romance and courtship. While frequently living under the strict eyes of her father and uncle, at the academy Valythra enjoyed a relative freedom from her family, which she spent among her classmates. Despite this, Valythra's weaknesses caught up with her. Her short height and slim frame made her a choice target for harassment, and her magical potential was minimal. However, in order to protect herself from harassment, she became well-versed in illusion magic to conceal herself from sight. For all her shortcomings, invisibility became almost second nature to Valythra. While Halorast and Zyanel expressed admiration for Valythra's newfound talent for illusion magic, Raitaus remained disapproving, especially towards her desire to run from confrontation. Though she seemed to discipline herself against complacence, her sense of will ultimately proved to be wanting. In her adulthood, Valythra graduated from Falthrien Academy, but did little to apply her magical talent. Desiring a life that would be safe and secure, with minimal danger from harassment, Valythra began to study the culinary arts. She used her talent for cooking to begin a pastry business known as Suncrown Pastries, based in Suncrown Village. While her decision was viewed as an embarrassment to her father, her mother and uncle supported her independence and business regularly. Fall of Quel'thalas One morning, as Valythra and Halorast began to walk through the Eversong Woods, they were ambushed by a pair of flying creatures. Valythra alerted her uncle to them, who promptly defended the pair as they witnessed the Scourge marching across the land. He was able to destroy the adversaries who had attacked them but promptly took Valythra's hand to flee to the nearby Fairbreeze Village. Upon arrival at the village, Valythra doubled over and vomited from the sight and smell of the approaching Scourge. A local medic treated her while Halorast consulted with the nearby guards. As he did so, a Scourge meat wagon fired a projectile of rotting flesh at a nearby structure, causing it to rain down upon both Valythra and the medic. The medic was killed by a protruding bone as Halorast immediately took hold of Valythra once again to flee. This time, Halorast realized that simply fleeing north would not suffice; they had to find a way to stay off of the Scourge's path. Valythra screamed and sobbed, traumatized by the invasion and the death surrounding her as many Quel'dorei were killed. Halorast led her past the Sunsail Anchorage to the the coast the Murlocs lived in camps. Driving off a smaller, relatively underpopulated camp of Murlocs before taking shelter. Valythra huddled tightly against Halorast continuously sobbing. They stayed at the camp for days on end before Halorast suddenly felt incredibly unwell. Upon checking Valythra's condition, he discovered that her eyes had become a dim white, rather than the sky blue they used to be. Halorast attempted to carry Valythra to the Anchorage, hoping someone could help them, but there was no one there. The two collapsed, lying on the road for hours before a search party finally found them and helped them regroup with everyone else. Everyone suffered from a similar affliction of weakness, as the effects of the Sunwell's destruction became apparent. After the Sunwell's destruction, Valythra became seemingly bedridden, sometimes even incapable of awakening while her mother cared for her. Her father slipped into a depression, with the House of Solflame going dark for a lengthy period of time. Aftermath After the fall of Quel'Thalas, the Quel'dorei were left in desperate need of a new source of magic. In response to the calamity that befell the elves, House Solflame established a new tradition stating that no family member would be allowed to be raised into undeath. Anyone who was raised was to be "euthanized" as soon as possible, and any family who died from that day forward would be cremated. As the survivors of the invasion became the Sin'dorei, Valythra's father regained his strength to join the Prince Kael'thas Sunstrider in the ruins of Dalaran that would lead the Blood Elves into Outland and eventually into the fold of Illidan's Forces. The Sin'dorei's hunger for magic was eventually met with a solution through Fel. The absence of her controlling father and the renewal of her strength through Fel magic gave Valythra an unexpected independence. No longer overburdened by Raitaus' watchful eye, and with Halorast assisting in the efforts to repair and reclaim Quel'thalas, Valythra was able to pursue her own interests and agenda. Valythra revisited her old home in Suncrown Village and her business, Suncrown Pastries. Still traumatized by the devastation, she was deeply affected even further to see how her life's work had been reduced to nothing. She became materialistic, wishing to compensate for her losses, leading to what would eventually develop into a dark habit of thievery. Valythra took advantage of the Blood Elves' desperate situation and began to fence whatever she had stolen, striving to reclaim what wealth she had in order to reopen Suncrown Pastries. As time went on and she indulged in her thieving career, the Blood Elves were finally met with an opportunity to join the Horde. While the Blood Elves seemed willing to cooperate with the Horde, Valythra was hesitant. She had ill feelings towards the Orcs and Trolls after the Second War, and despised the Forsaken even more for their undead nature and relation to the Scourge. However, she ultimately accepted that Quel'thalas needed to recover, and the Horde were offering to assist. Her faith in Forsaken grew somewhat when she learned that the former Ranger-General, Sylvanas Windrunner, was leading the undead of the Horde. Valythra finally reopened Suncrown Pastries in Silvermoon City not long after Dar'Khan Drathir's defeat. Despite achieving this, she continued to reap the rewards of her thievery, reluctant to put the old habit aside. Valythra became indulgent in vice and luxury, her flirtatious behavior escalating into lustful promiscuity towards men. During the Outland Campaign, Raitaus unexpectedly returned to Quel'thalas. Outraged to discover the Forsaken populating the elven land, the patriarch promptly established a new rule for House Solflame stating that the house would never recognize the Forsaken - or any undead - as being allies or welcome to them. Despite distancing themselves greatly from the Horde, the house stood by Raitaus' decision. Raitaus joined the Shattered Sun on the Isle of Quel'danas to assist with the efforts of reclaiming the Sunwell. When the Shattered Sun was finally successful, Valythra began to abandon her use of Fel magic to tap into the revived Sunwell. Her eyes gradually began to change to a golden hue over the years as a result. The Onyx Rose Order Alytheria's Return As the Burning Legion returned to invade the planet once again, everyone across Azeroth had a vested interest in the conflict, including those among the Scourge. Alytheria Bloodmoon, Valythra's grandmother who had been lost to the Scourge, returned to his family and the Horde. Valythra, like all of Alytheria's descendants, revered her like nothing else in life. Valythra willingly committed herself to Alytheria. For her devotion, she soon revealed a great secret to her granddaughter, shedding her illusion to reveal her San'layn form, and her Blood Royalty. Valythra was utterly amazed by the San'layn form and the strength it bore, viewing it as being magnificent to behold and unlike anything she had ever seen. As Alytheria demonstrated her strength and power, Valythra became envious, craving the power of the San'layn for herself after two centuries of living with weakness and vulnerability. To Valythra, the San'layn were a door to strength she had never once possessed. Despite her wonder, Alytheria refused to turn her. She went on to found a spy network for the Horde. Seeking to win Alytheria's favor to become a San'layn, Valythra joined Alytheria's new organization as the Cloak, using her skill with invisibility and stealth to become the head of the Espionage agency. Alytheria became the Oculus to lead the network. Despite the leadership being governed by family and a personal bias as a result, Valythra accepted her newfound duty with pride. A patriot of Quel'thalas, Valythra felt like she finally had an opportunity to serve her people, and she did. Years of expecting her to be a soldier denied her true calling as an infiltrator and an informant. She surpassed expectations as the Cloak. Despite this, Alytheria continued to refuse Valythra the gift of the Darkfallen. She requested an opportunity to learn blood magic, at the very least, but Alytheria staunchly refused for little more than her promiscuity. Earlier before, when she had been investigating Aelenicus Sunblade as a potential traitor to the Horde, she had indulged her lust and kissed the paladin despite her better judgment, and Alytheria strongly disapproved. Despite her vow to make amends and cut off ties to Aelenicus, Alytheria never conceded to Valythra's demands, and refused to teach her blood magic or convert her into a San'layn. Eventually, Alytheria disappeared, appointing Valythra as the Oculus without ever granting her gift. A New San'layn Is Born As Valythra was appointed the new Oculus, Alytheria Bloodmoon disappeared out of contact and could not be reached by any of the members of the network. Feeling cheated by Alytheria's refusal to turn her into a San'layn, Valythra sought out a new San'layn who could potentially turn her. In her efforts, Valythra located Tyrinade Moonsong, the Red Lady of the Onyx Rose Order. Valythra learned through eavesdropping that Tyrinade was a San'layn, and pulled her over for a personal request to be turned. Though Tyrinade was cautious and made certain that Valythra was not being reckless, and that this was something she wanted. When asked why she wanted to be turned, Valythra described feeling like she lived a life of perpetual weakness and disappointment and wanted something more. Tyrinade agreed to turn Valythra, with the expectation that she should prepare herself and bring a sacrifice for the upcoming ritual. Valythra began her preparations, transferring ownership of Suncrown Pastries, appointing a substitute leader of the network - Valansera Lavier - and meeting with her mother one last time before her turning. Finally, on the day she was to be turned, Valythra took an Alliance prisoner named Allisiya Marson to the Onyx Rose's keep to be her sacrifice. Valythra was escorted to the location of choice by the Onyx Rose, where her captive was imprisoned. Tyrinade took Valythra to the center of the chamber, where she asked if Valythra was still certain that she wanted to be turned. Upon replying yes, Valythra braced herself before Tyrinade took hold of the woman and bit her on the neck, draining her and killing her before filling her with the essence of the San'layn. Valythra's golden eyes turned a scarlet red as a result, and upon reanimating was immediately hungry for blood. Tyrinade promptly guided her to where Allisiya was held. Being the only living entity present, Valythra fixated upon her. The human was released from her cage, and Valythra pounced on her, burying her newly grown fangs in the woman's throat and draining her of her blood. After she was finally able to sate her bloodlust, Valythra's cognizance returned and left her horrified of her deeds and what she had become, with seemingly no memory of how or why she had been turned. Confused and afraid, she was to be kept by the Onyx Rose in their keep for a prolonged period of time until they were confident she had developed self-control. As Valythra struggled to control herself and learn, a brief crisis struck when Tyrinade returned to the Onyx Rose in a state of blood drunkenness. As the Onyx Rose lured Tyrinade to the basement of the keep, Valythra's hunger sought out one of the only living people present among the company, a paladin named Aradori Yuan. As the paladin stood within dangerous proximity of Valythra, the nascent San'layn could no longer control herself and attacking Aradori, biting her throat. The Onyx Rose removed and restrained Valythra, where she was kept under watch by the Death Knight, Gavarian Nightblade, to ensure she did not harm anyone else. While restrained in the basement, Valythra was visited by Malaise. Malaise, wanting to see Valythra return to her position as the Oculus, offered to help Valythra to recover her memories through an alchemical concoction. At the same time, it was suggested to Valythra that she learn the Scourge language and study in the Rose's library. As she did so, Malaise soon completed the potion that Valythra had been waiting for. Valythra began to remember the entirety of her past, but did not show the shift in personality or acceptance for her old life that Malaise expected. Malaise admitted that she secretly wanted the Oculus to come back from their efforts and that Valythra seemed reluctant to do so. The day after, the Onyx Rose gathered to carry out a wedding for two of its members, with Valythra joining to observe the ceremony and enjoy the following reception. For the reception, Tyrinade offered Valythra a bottle of bloodwine to allow her to enjoy herself, provided she did not drink too much. Despite the warning, Valythra drank too quickly and became blood drunk, her reduced inhibitions bringing her lustful desires, compounded by her natural inclination to feed on blood. Though she was tempted to feed on one of the few living attendees of the reception, Valythra was more fixated on the Death Knight, Gavarian. The fledgling San'layn began to court the man before drawing him to a private location, where she proceeded to kiss him. The two embraced as Valythra's blood drunkenness began to wane, and Gavarian brought her back to the keep of the Onyx Rose. A few days later, Tyrinade brought Valythra to a meeting to introduce new members to Moranai Sunstrike's house. Enjoying her first real reunion with another person from her life, Valythra took interest when Tyrinade referred to her as her "penultimate achievement" and desired to know who seemed to be of a greater success than her. Nevertheless, Valythra took great satisfaction in Tyrinade's pride. Shortly after, Valythra decided to speak to Tyrinade in private, both to learn who her greatest achievement was and if it was possible to achieve an even greater power as a San'layn. During this conversation, Valythra learned of the Blood Royalty that the San'layn used to have, as well as gaining insight on the experiences of members of the Scourge. Though she had no guarantee that she would ever achieve Tyrinade's level of power, she was satisfied with what she had learned and to know that the Red Lady was proud of her. One day, while idling by the fountain in Onyx Rose's keep, Valythra expressed her hunger for blood while contemplating the subject of Blood Royalty. Attempting to offer a solution, a member provided Valythra with a pair of bags containing blood, however the blood itself was old and effectively devoid of the life essence required for sustenance. Upon consuming it, Valythra began to feel sick, requiring Gavarian and another Rosen to guide her to the pits for live blood. While feeding live offered her a respite from her illness, Valythra remained weak and effectively bedridden. The Purging of House Solflame Main Article: Purging of House Solflame As Gavarian and Valythra bonded, the former asked if she would ever return to the network as its leader. Though she took Malaise's interests into concern, Valythra felt as though being the Oculus was a genuinely unpleasant experience where she was forced to tell lie after lie. Furthermore, she was no longer loyal to the Horde and its network, but instead to Tyrinade. She decided that, to be happy, she would stay with the Onyx Rose, and shed her role as a Horde spy. After a night of feeding, Valythra and Gavarian met behind a chapel. The two engaged in amorous activity before Valythra mentioned a place that her family had owned, called the Solflame Enclave. Though it was closed off to undead, Valythra toyed with the notion of "reacquiring" the Enclave from her living family, with a strong implication of murder. Gavarian showed an interest in Valythra's future ownership of the Enclave and of House Solflame. With that, Valythra agreed to reclaim her name of Solflame. Gavarian's venture to the Enclave resulted in a battle with Raitaus Solflame and the revelation that her family had been looking for her through missing persons notices. As she was being trained to summon Death Gates by Tyrinade, Valythra finally came forward to her asking for assistance in reclaiming her house. She requested that Raitaus and Halorast Solflame be killed, and that Zyanel Bloodmoon be driven away from Quel'thalas, with the Solflame Enclave left undamaged so that she may return to it. While on a patrol with the Onyx Rose in the Eversong Woods, Valythra discovered a Quel'dorei man at a grave and immediately apprehended him. The man - Arlien Silvershield - was brought to the Onyx Rose crypts, where Valythra was tasked with his torture and interrogation. Tampering with his senses, Valythra caused immense pain through both physical torment and the use of sound. As the torture went on, Valythra became increasingly tempted by the man's heartbeat before Tyrinade finally ordered her to bite him. Digging her fangs deep into his neck, Valythra unwittingly came close to enthralling the man before Tyrinade ordered her to stop and bring him before her. Tyrinade then proceeded to properly enthrall him and send him on his way back to the Alliance. Deeply fascinated by Tyrinade's ability, Valythra came forward asking to be taught, only to be told that she had come extremely close to doing it herself. Though Tyrinade herself did not use it often, she was willing to teach the neophyte as it was a part of being San'layn. While the Onyx Rose saw to the deaths of two of the House's members - Zyanel Bloodmoon and Halorast Solflame - Valythra began to improperly feed on accident, resulting in her becoming blood-starved. She proceeded to attack two of the living members of the Onyx Rose out of hunger, fighting off two other members before finally being subdued by Gavarian and Tyrinade. She was promptly restrained and placed in a muzzle to keep her from harming anyone else. After recovering from her blood-starved state, she was again bound by a chain until she was deemed to be in control of her urges. She was brought to a meeting for the Silvermoon Magistrate where she sought to assist Tyrinade in the establishment of a San'layn Embassy. She was alarmed when a proposal was made to bar anyone bearing some form of corruption - including undead - from visiting the Sunwell. Outraged, Valythra made her stance clear before the topic was shelved and the meeting continued. When the meeting ended and Valythra returned to the Onyx Rose keep, one of the higher ranking members discovered Valythra's recent incident in becoming blood-starved. The debate that ensued angered Valythra as she felt as though she was being ignored even further, and she stormed off to the pits to feed for the night. Not long after, Valythra accidentally overfed on one of the cattle and became increasingly fearful of Tyrinade's wrath. The Onyx Rose finally laid siege upon the Solflame Enclave that Valythra desired, and in doing so killed Raitaus Solflame. However, Raitaus initiated a series of detonations that left the Enclave in ruins as the Onyx Rose escaped. Hysterical, desperate, and lost in denial, Valythra fled the Onyx Rose to return to the Enclave alone. Having fled to the Solflame Enclave, Valythra became lost in her denial. Desperate to believe that her efforts to eradicate her family had not been for nothing, terrified of her likely death at Tyrinade's hands, and still living in the shadow of Tyrinade's lich, Valythra began to delude herself into believing she had power. She dressed herself in the noble garments of her family and proclaimed herself as the new Matriarch of House Solflame, deciding to live alone in the ruins of the Enclave. As onlookers gathered outside the destroyed Enclave, she began barring any means of entrance to ensure no one could enter uninvited. With no one to stop her, Valythra began to live in blissful ignorance of reality. She soon came under attack by Arlien Silvershield, who infiltrated the Enclave to assassinate Valythra. The two battled, with Arlien slitting her throat and stabbing her in the stomach with a dagger, however Valythra was able to feed on the man's life essence and ultimately subjugate him to her will. Having sent Arlien away, Valythra continued to lose herself in her delusions as her hunger went untended. Nature began to reclaim the destroyed Enclave, animals such as birds, squirrels, and the like coming to investigate the ruins. Among the creatures that visited were bats, which Valythra held a fondness for. While alone in the Enclave, she spent much time with the bats that had come to live with her. After three days without feeding and bordering on feral hunger, the Onyx Rose came to retrieve her, sending Gavarian Nightblade and Angelarria Dawnstriker to bring her back. She was reluctant to leave, firmly cemented in her delusions. Gavarian ultimately took her back to the keep by force. Lessons Learned Valythra remained trapped in the delusion that she was the matriarch of the destroyed House, bitter and angry over being brought back to the Onyx Rose by force. She confronted the lich whose shadow hung over her mind, believing she could finally cement their rivalry. Despite this, however, Tyrinade spoke with her regarding her recent departure and return. During their conversation, Valythra revealed her true reasons for leaving the Rose to return to the Enclave. Feeling like a powerless failure, she could not stand to see her birthright reduced to nothing before her very eyes. She also revealed her jealousy of not being Tyrinade's ultimate creation, which the latter dismissed as being ridiculous and unfounded. Despite her fears that killing her family would become nothing more than wanton murder, Tyrinade convinced Valythra that she should abandon her past to pursue what laid ahead of her. Shedding her mantle and her self-proclaimed title, Valythra accepted the loss of House Solflame and its property. Having come to peace with herself, Valythra began to return to her daily life in the Onyx Rose; however, a newer member, a troll, had elected to deliberately make herself a tempting target to the San'layn, undergoing a meditative process that elevated her heart rate. Unable to restrain herself, Valythra nearly bit the troll before being startled by the presence of Kora Deathwhisper. Valythra's lapse in control was made known to Tyrinade, who scolded her for once again slipping. Desperate to make amends for her repeated failures, Valythra finally mastered the creation of a Death Gate, and participated in a lesson on demonic magics. She demonstrated wonderful skill, summoning felfire with ease and subjugating an imp to her will before retiring for the night. The next day Valythra sat at the fountain in the Onyx Rose keep, joined by Angelarria and Gavarian. Providing the materials for her San'layn garments, Valythra asked the pair about whether or not she should change her name, asking for suggestions. Gavarian suggested sharing his own name, Nightblade, to which Valythra remarked that there were certain implications to them sharing a name. Aware of the implications, Gavarian took a knee and proposed to Valythra for marriage. Valythra was taken aback, noting that they had only been together for little under two months. Though Gavarian was willing to tie the knot, and Valythra was subtly urged on to accept, she refused his proposal with a warm smile. With the proposal out of the way, Valythra decided she would claim the name of "Bloodmoon" for herself, going back to her grandmother Alytheria. Valythra then attended a date auction in Winterspring, where she signed up to be auctioned for a date. During the auction Lanthelon Ashbinder took the center stage. Valythra immediately sensed the aura of death magic that clung to him despite his illusion and bid money on him. Eventually, when Valythra's turn came to step up, Arthalden Lightshard bid on her to her brief dismay. She could feel the Light magic radiating from the paladin and became nervous. Befriending Mellectria Sunstrike, the two left the auction early to attempt to hunt in the region of Winterspring. Melle pointed out a nearby hare, letting Valythra take it and offering her gun. Despite this, Valythra slipped into invisibility and proceeded to seize the hare with her bare hands before digging her fangs deep into its neck, drinking its blood and life essence. Reprimanding Valythra for her "hunting" Mellectria proceeded to demonstrate her own method of hunting, using her rifle to take down an elk and showing Valythra her hunting prowess as she treated the carcass before it was to be brought back. As she did so, Mellectria cut her finger, causing a continuous stream of blood that tempted Valythra. Nevertheless, the two were able to bring the elk back before Valythra returned to the Onyx Rose Keep. Valythra soon joined Tyrinade in meeting with a member of the Flamebranded who was to be turned into a San'layn to correct a mistake made in their resurrection after dying. Valythra was assigned the task of guiding the woman in transitioning into undeath. Valythra and Tyrinade met in Falconwing Square with the Convocation of Quel'Thalas to discuss matters pertinent to Quel'thalas. After the meeting, Valythra spoke with Moranai Sunstrike in private. Though she had put her delusions behind her and no longer styled herself as the matriarch of the destroyed House Solflame, Valythra secretly yearned for the power of her title and the property she was due. Valythra hoped to receive the backing of House Sunstrike on two fronts. Firstly, she needed their assistance in order to begin reparations on the destroyed Enclave, secondly to help legitimize her claim to the House despite being San'layn. Valythra secretly worried that both matters would need to be brought before the Magistrate and become a legal issue, all while having to conceal her culpability in her father's murder. Valythra, tasked with guiding Aerophin Daermathor, who was to be turned into a San'layn, offered advice regarding how to properly feed and restrain oneself. In order to secure cattle for the woman's turning, Aerophin, Gavarian, and Valythra visited the Hillsbrad Foothills in order to track down the isolated town of Mirstone. There, they kidnapped three trappers and brought them back to the Onyx Rose. The visit to Mirstone gave Valythra a moment of inspiration, realizing that its isolation made it ripe for the picking for cattle to feed upon. Later in the day, Aerophin was finally turned into a San'layn, and Tyrinade proclaimed the two of them to be sisters in blood. Proudly acknowledging Aerophin as her sister, she led the nascent San'layn out of the crypts to guide her. Conquest of Zandalar Return to Battle After Valythra's struggles in guiding her sister in blood, Valythra answered the call to arms when the Alliance began to execute an attack upon Zandalar. She became immediately involved upon learning of Tyrinade's capture, assisting in an ambush that took advantage of an ongoing parley between the factions. In doing so she resumed her former identity as the Oculus. Freeing Tyrinade from her bonds, Valythra battled against Tion Harrowmire, sustaining injuries from a fireball and a slash to the legs. These injuries were rectified when Valythra was able to bite the man and feed on a small amount of life essence before escaping the ship, having succeeded in her mission. Valythra rejoined her comrades and began preparations to assist the Onyx Rose's involvement in the conflict on Zandalar. Though Valythra stepped away from the conflict to tend to matters back home, she soon returned to go out on a patrol to scout out the recent battle in Vol'dun. Spotting a lone Death Knight - John von Hastings - out in the open, Valythra decided she would attempt to punish the man's foolishness by attempting to assassinate him. Ambushing him, the blows Valythra dealt would have killed a living man, but Hastings survived and threw the San'layn aside. Valythra planned on retreating, knowing that she could have only killed the man in a single strike from an ambush. Malaise soon joined Valythra in the battle, and the conflict temporarily ceased as the Hastings and Valythra threatened one another. As Valythra refused to back down, Hastings charged forward and attacked again, the momentum of his runeblade carrying her into the air and nearly bisecting her. The attack left her incapacitated as she watched Hastings and Malaise battle. Despite her futile attempt to assist she finally decided that they could not battle the Death Knight head on. Malaise was soon cut in half by the Death Knight, prompting Valythra to open a Death Gate back to the Onyx Rose's keep. She dragged Malaise back, glaring at Hastings before disappearing. Upon returning to the Keep, Valythra summoned her thrall and proceeded to drain him of all of his life essence, hoping to recover from her almost lethal injury. After helping Malaise into a wheelchair and bandaging her injury, Valythra was joined by Kora Deathwhisper who offered to educate her in Death magic. Using a subject for Mirstone for demonstration, Kora then etched an unholy rune into Valythra's wrist upon her request. Valythra returned to the Onyx Rose Keep regularly to keep tabs on Aerophin to ensure that she remained well. During one such period of time, Valythra and Gavarian met after the latter's recent absence, and used Valythra's newfound freedom to visit the Eversong Woods. There, Gavarian proposed once again to Valythra, and she accepted the marriage proposal. The two became engaged, though Valythra was to return to Vol'dun once again. Capture and Torture Valythra was once again deployed to scout out the Vol'dun wastes, where she found John Hastings again out in the open. She had a moment of inspiration, wanting to steal the Death Knight's runeblade and allowed greed and ambition to override her judgment. She lured the Death Knight into a cavern system where she proceeded to disarm him and successfully steal his runeblade. She threw it into a Death Gate to the Onyx Rose Keep, but was attacked by Nerubians before she could escape. Captured by the Alliance, she was brought back to the [[HMS Tedrassil|HMS Tedrassil.]] Aboard the Teldrassil, ''Valythra was visited by several others, including Soreka Blackblood, Andurius Soulrender, Lyraeni Sorrowsong, Miralyne Valetender, and others. The Alliance interrogated Valythra with different methods, some attempting to negotiate peacefully with her and others resorting to painful torture. Lyraeni replaced Valythra's engagement ring with a false one. John Hastings and Andurius Soulrender then isolated her in a magical field where they proceeded to torture her for information on the Horde and the Onyx Rose. Using holy water and his own Worgen form, Hastings gradually broke down Valythra's will to resist and forced her to reveal what little she knew. During the torture, Valythra was heavily scarred, with Worgen claw marks on her chest and one on her cheek, her face and arms covered in burns from holy water, and her mark of Alytheria destroyed. Tyrinade sensed Valythra's distress and intervened momentarily, but Valythra was left in captivity for another day. Starved by the captain, Valythra's hunger became maddening and she began to lose her grip on her own sanity. She became borderline feral, thrashing about and desperate to feed on anything living. Though Soreka attempted to feed her life essence, Hastings had a plan for the starved San'layn. Valythra was traded to Tyrinade in return for Hastings' runeblade, and brought to the Horde in Nazmir. Valythra was immersed in a pool of blood in a secretive neophyte camp in order to recover, requiring three days until full recovery. Second Death and Clarity The process of recovery took Valythra three days before she recovered. She then assisted in a battle in which she bit and enthralled Miralyne, but was soon thrown off a cliff by Malithanore Vanyali. Her body broken from the fall, Valythra summoned her thrall to her side to feed from her life essence to regenerate. Though she successfully fed, Valythra was soon met with opposition from Gooldaro Chainbreaker, who inadvertently alerted Miralyne's allies to their position, resulting in a brief battle to save Miralyne from Valythra. The San'layn managed to escaped through a wormhole created by her thrall, with Gooldaro closely behind. Miralyne was captured by the Duskfall and had her influences purged, to Valythra's agitation. Valythra was determined to find her thrall once again, but ultimately reunited with Lyraeni Sorrowsong in a battle to free Gooldaro and Ro'go from the Alliance's hold. The two of them battled before Valythra was quickly defeated by a runeblade strike through her chest, impaling and killing her for the second time. Her weapon stolen by Lyraeni and her body no longer reanimated, she was retrieved by the Onyx Rose and her body was stored within the crypts. She was soon raised a second time by Tyrinade. Though her friends were generally pleased to see Valythra's return, Tyrinade immediately ordered Valythra that she was not to return to the front lines or to engage the Alliance forces until further notice. When Valythra attempted to inquire, Tyrinade told her to not discuss it in front of others and left. The two spoke in private, during which Tyrinade revealed her disappointment in Valythra for secretly plotting to gain power and enthralling cattle as if she could not notice. The discussion left Valythra heartbroken and questioning her decision to become San'layn. Following her second raising, Valythra was tasked with assisting the war effort whilst forbidden from ever engaging the Alliance on the front lines again. Though her time spent doing mundane chores distracted her from her ambitions, she lapsed back when surrounded by the dead following a massive Alliance assault. Due to an immense disconnect from the wishes of the living, Valythra boldly suggested raising the dead into undeath, to the great disapproval of others. After being confronted with her apathy towards the living and viewing them as little more than cattle, Valythra was threatened one more time with the possibility of being defanged. Deeply perturbed, Valythra took time to herself to ponder her situation before sensing that her sister, Aerophin, was engaged in battle and rushing to assist. Aerophin sustained grievous injuries but due to Valythra's actions was saved from her own second death. Aerophin offered to teach Valythra, and the latter began to struggle between her want for power and her better judgment. After a long talk with Tyrinade in which she admitted to viewing her maker as a surrogate mother, Valythra decided that she could afford to learn more, yet also return to a civilian life in which she would not be so tempted to pursue an agenda of power. Little Light No longer permitted to battle the Alliance on the front lines, Valythra began to return to her academic studies, focusing on learning more about language and various magics. As she did, she became troubled by what she identified as a dulling of the senses, her ability to taste and feel physical sensations slowly becoming difficult to distinguish. In short time, she found that her ability to taste anything short of blood had been diminished. Distressed, Valythra desperately attempted to stimulate her sense of taste to no avail. The San'layn began to weep for another part of her life lost to her, but found that she was now incapable of shedding a tear. Valythra reasoned that her body had to be changing - or decaying - due to her recent second death. Comforted by her family in blood, Valythra began to openly regard Tyrinade as her mother to seek comfort in her changes. As time progressed, Valythra finally began to settle in. No longer plagued by doubt about her choices or struggling with her morality, she was confident in herself and her condition. Noticing her progress, Tyrinade appointed Valythra as a representative for San'layn interests. At some point after the battles in Zandalar, Miralyne Valetender was stranded in the Terrordale of the Eastern Plaguelands, and Valythra was both witness to her falling aircraft and able to sense her presence due to Miralyne's past enthrallment. Now that they were no longer on the front lines of war, Valythra hoped for a chance to properly reconnect with her past lover. Though Miralyne threatened to kill Valythra, she stopped upon recognizing the San'layn and asked what had happened to her, lamenting the corruption of her "Little Light". Though Valythra denied that she had changed, Miralyne stated that the woman she knew would never have bitten, tortured, and enthralled her even for the sake of protection. Despite that, she insisted that Valythra did not have to be a cruel and murderous monster, and that she could be the person she used to be. The two shared their memories of their time together, and Valythra proceeded to help Miralyne survive and guide her out of the Terrordale. Having been saved (and spared) three times by Valythra, Miralyne told her that there was still a light within her that could be nurtured and brought back, and was worth saving. Bloody Conquest Mirstone Massacre ''Main Article: Mirstone Massacre Valythra met with Kora Deathwhisper in the Plaguelands to assist her in finding a sword within a castle, and in exchange would teach Valythra methods of empowering herself. The San'layn was able to execute the mission with stealth, infiltrating the castle despite the disturbing sights and haunting presence within. In exchange for the part she played, Kora brought Valythra to a runeforge. There, Valythra instructed Kora to completely cover both of her arms in a pairing of unholy and blood runes, to empower her blood magic and death magic. When they were done, they then began to work on forging Valythra's first runeblade. Using a light one-handed sword, Valythra successfully created a weapon that granted her blood magic greater potency. To commemorate the weapon's creation, and to test its power, Kora and Valythra decided to wipe Mirstone and its population away. The two charged into the village and immediately began to massacre the population. Kora was challenged by Sanalellah Sunbringer, who had been helping the townsfolk with a rumored vampyr menace, stories that came in the wake of Valythra's initial preying upon the village. As the two dueled, Valythra used her runeblade and her blood magic to kill innocents in droves until she was challenged by the budding Mirstone Wolfcult, with Liza Brooks serving as their pack leader. In the battle that followed, Kora nearly killed Sana before the paladin managed to escape. Though she was wounded, Valythra managed to strangle Liza to death, and the undead pair were victorious. Those who could be raised had been used as soldiers in the massacre, and the worgen simply remained dead on the streets. Valythra, hungry for blood, tracked down the mayor of Mirstone, Victor Marcus, to bite him and drain him of his life essence, killing both de facto and official leaders of the town. Kora set the town ablaze, and explained her hunger - a Death Knight's hunger for pain - to Valythra and how it shaped her views, with the phrase "Vae Victis" being a strong element of what guided her actions. With Mirstone destroyed, Valythra contemplated the name of her runeblade, and decided to name it after a vampyr legend - Arbitian, the Royal. Flames of War Main Article: Operation: Blackrock and Roll With Arbitian forged, the weapon was eager to be fed with the slaughter of enemies and innocents alike, awaiting a bond between it and its master. Valythra began to map out her path to fueling the blade, planning to conquer even more innocent townsfolk as she had done to Mirstone. Hungry for more, she began to patrol the Eastern Kingdoms, moving down south in search of settlements to carve her way through. In the Arathi Highlands, she encountered Fasha Tel’therun, who was leading the Hand of Vengeance in a march to Blackrock Mountain due to a recent call to arms. Though Valythra expressed interest in participating in the bloodshed that was to come, she ultimately failed to show up to the initial battles for the mountain. It was not until Tyrinade Moonsong, Valythra's mother, was captured that she made her appearance. With Tyrinade's capture and imprisonment with magical restraints, her bond to all her risen undead was cut off, leaving them stranded and without the mental stability of their creator. This prompted erratic behavior throughout the Onyx Rose, and resulted in Valythra's inhibitions becoming severely weakened. Her pride, recklessness, and bloodlust came front and center, becoming insubordinate and challenging the authority of all of her leaders. After being pulled aside by at least four of her commanding officers to put her in her place, Valythra began to independently search for Tyrinade, scouting out the volcanic region for Alliance activity. During this time, she was hunted by Avaline Cinderspell, a member of the Duskfall Collective and the new beloved of Miralyne Valetender. Angered by Valythra's actions in Zandalar, Avaline proceeded to restrain the vampyr. Valythra was secured by icy restraints, an anti-magic choker placed around her neck and partially drained of her blood, starving her for more. Despite this, Valythra used her undead strength and skill with a runeblade to almost match the Ren'dorei's magic before ultimately being bested, her bloodthirsty recklessness exploited in an attack from behind. During the battle, Valythra sustained further injury with part of her face and hair being burned away. Avaline revealed her motivations for the confrontation, reminding Valythra of her mistreatment towards Miralyne and calling her manipulative, stating that she has not changed, despite Miralyne's hopes. Avaline accused Valythra of being a thrall to Tyrinade, rather than her daughter, provoking the vampyr's rage and demanding that the battle between them be concluded with either her death or capture. Avaline departed, telling Valythra to realize right from wrong and that there would soon come a time when she would have to choose between Tyrinade and Miralyne. Despite her heavy injuries, Valythra refused to die and crawled across the Burning Steppes back to the Horde encampment. She was present at the final battle, though defeated by Casylia and forced to retreat and join the wounded. With the Horde's narrow victory in the conflict, Valythra returned home with the rest of the Onyx Rose. Insecure about increased damage to her once beautiful features, Valythra finally decided she could not stand to wear every single battle she participated in any further. She began by turning to fleshcrafters to help restore her damaged scalp and hair, and began planning to restore the rest of her appearance. Northrend Campaign With her armor battered and destroyed after Zandalar and Blackrock, and no sign of imminent repair, Valythra recovered her armor from her days in the agency and began to wear that for the upcoming campaign in Northrend, to raid a reliquary of knowledge kept by the San'layn. She was present in assisting the Onyx Rose Order in moving their necropolis to the north, and began carrying out scouting runs and gathering information. The Onyx Rose set their eyes on a ziggurat that would be necessary to capture in order to secure the reliquary. The Rose moved on the ziggurat, only to be met with opposition by the Duskfall Collective. Negotiations failed, prompting the Onyx Rose and the Duskfall to battle. Valythra was eager to clash with Lyraeni once again, but was instead challenged by Garion Magnus, ensuing in a duel between two combatants that were almost evenly matched, up until Garion blasted her with an arcane orb just before the Rose's retreat was sounded. Appearance Valythra is a very small woman, having a height of roughly five feet and possessing a very slim frame, a combination of traits that have often been looked down upon. Valythra has naturally curly black hair that reaches just past her chin, though it originally reached past her shoulders. She used to have fair skin and golden eyes due to ties to the Sunwell. However, since her death and being raised as a San'layn, Valythra has become as pale as a corpse, with a crimson hue to her eyes. Her features have also becoming significantly vampiric, most notably her extended canines that have formed into fangs. The nails on her hands and feet have become dark grey, slightly elongated and ending in a point, serving as claws. Her ears are no long elven, but instead have widened, becoming curled and more akin to a bat. Her nose has undergone a similar change, becoming upturned and flattened like a bat's. When Valythra is blood-starved, her body becomes emaciated and gaunt, the bones beneath her skin plain to see. Fashion * She typically chooses to wear dresses of some manner, which tend to range from colors of white to red to black, often having a Thalassian influence. Her most favorite, however, are her San'layn robes. These consist of black cloth garments and wearing dark red robes over them, with a similarly red cloak draped over her shoulders and trailing behind her. She is often seen wearing a pair of fingerless gloves to accompany this outfit, and is always barefoot. * A blood medallion - a glass orb wrapped in a metal ring with a pair of fangs - is wrapped around her neck, capable of storing and preserving blood and the life essence it carries. She wears at least three rings, two on her left hand and one on her right. On her left she wears her first engagement ring, a ruby ring set in a black band, and her Archive access ring, a silver braided band. On her right index finger is her second engagement ring, a rose-gold band with a rounded onyx stone, bound to her soul. Runes * During service under Alytheria Bloodmoon, she carried the mark of the organization on her right ankle, resembling a spider, though this mark was recently destroyed by Andurius Soulrender. Both of her arms are covered in "sleeves" of Scourge runes, which ignite with the use of Blood Magic or Death Magic. Scars * There are scars on her body when her illusion is absent, including a slice across her throat and a stab wound on her stomach from her duel with Arlien Silvershield. There is also a vicious bite wound on her neck from when Tyrinade Moonsong killed and raised her as San'layn, which has never fully healed. After multiple battles Valythra's face and body have been repeatedly burned, by John Hastings, a confessor, and Avaline Cinderspell, leaving her face and upper body covered in second to third degree burns. Equipment When Valythra participates in acts of espionage or combat, Valythra dons a suit of hooded black leather armor. Her hands and feet remain exposed, and her red eyes peer out from underneath. Around her waist is a belt that can carry items that she may use as needed. A dagger forged from Saronite rests on her hip, designed to cause abnormally increased bleeding from any manner of cut, as well as leech a small amount of life essence with each strike. It has yet to be determined if this draining of essence satiates her hunger as a San'layn. Her most prized possession is her runeblade, Arbitian. A curved blade with a cupped guard on the hilt, blood runes are etched along the blade to focus and empower her Blood Magic. Personality Valythra's personality is best described as emotionally volatile and reckless. She is both easy to please and quick to anger, and has been known to create a fuss over perceived insults or attacks. At her core she is proud, believing herself to be superior to those around her due to her status as a San'layn. Due to her constant thirst for blood, she has developed a conditioned pleasure for pain and murder. Despite this, Valythra on her best day is typically optimistic and prone to seeking enjoyment through humor and activities with others. She does retain feelings of love and compassion, and cares for people she considers to be friends and family. She mingles in social gatherings and is oftentimes rather civil. In some ways, becoming San'layn has a created a duality to her personality, between a vicious vampyr and a caring citizen. Her behavior and demeanor seemingly flip according to her situation, sometimes causing unnecessary trouble and resulting in very unstable relationships with others. Relationships Family of Blood Tyrinade Moonsong * The San'layn responsible for Valythra's reanimation, Valythra holds Tyrinade Moonsong in high regard. In the time after her turning, Valythra has treated Tyrinade as her new family in lieu of what she had while living. In recent times, Valythra has fully accepted Tyrinade as her mother, just as Tyrinade has accepted her as a daughter. Aerophin Daermathor * After Aerophin's raising as a San'layn by Tyrinade's hands, Valythra came to view her as a sister of sorts, while also serving as her mentor in transitioning into the "life" of a San'layn. Though she has mentored Aerophin, their relationship is often strained and volatile. Xyntus * Though Xyntus was raised at the battle of the Icecrown Glacier and not by Tyrinade, Valythra was quick to adopt Xyntus as her sister in blood. The two formed a strong bond, and are recognized as both being daughters under Tyrinade's wing. Gavarian Nightblade * Valythra's romantic partner, the two first met shortly after Valythra's transformation into a San'layn. Their relationship began on a rocky start as Gavarian was assigned to be her guard while restrained in the basement; however, Valythra ultimately moved past the event. During a state of blood-drunkenness, Valythra courted Gavarian and kissed him. Despite coming out of her drunken stupor, their interactions continued and a romantic relationship emerged as a result. Though her feelings were compromised by her megalomania, Valythra put aside her want for a servant to commit herself to loving Gavarian. Recently Gavarian proposed to Valythra, and she accepted. Biological Family House of Solflame * Valythra's relationship with her family has been strained at best. Her grandmother, Alytheria Bloodmoon, and her father, Raitaus Solflame, were typically controlling of her life, and focused on the results of her training as a future soldier rather than on raising her. She held both in great reverence but secretly resented both of them. Her mother, Zyanel Bloodmoon, was empathetic towards her and they at least had a healthy relationship. Skills '''Languages: '''Valythra is fluent in Thalassian, Common, and Orcish, and is proficient in Scourge and Nerubian languages. '''Physical: '''Valythra is light on her feet and surprisingly agile, but has little to no strength or constitution whatsoever. Anything heavier than leather armor is too much for her to bear. She tends to wield a dagger if she is in need of a weapon. As a San'layn she has gained a moderate amount of physical strength, though her greatest strengths are in her enhanced senses of smell and hearing, as well her eyesight in the dark. '''Magical: '''Valythra's greatest magical strength lies in Illusion magic, which she most frequently uses to turn invisible. Her greatest talent lies in perception manipulation, used to tamper with the senses of the brain and create intricate hallucinations. Since becoming San'layn, she also possesses a naturally high aptitude for Blood magic, as well as certain innate abilities as a San'layn, including the ability to trap others in an enthrallment. Fel magic has also come with relative ease to her. With both of her arms covered in "sleeves" of blood and unholy runes, blood and death magic come with greater ease and potency for her. Category:Blood Elf Category:New Horde Category:Illusionists Category:Thieves Category:San'layn Category:Undead Category:House Solflame Category:Characters Category:Silvermoon Magistrate Category:Blood Mages Category:Politicians